The official Summer of Soul (… Or, when the revolution couldn’t be televised) The film’s soundtrack will be released on January 28.
Filmmaker, director and producer Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson announced the news Thursday alongside documentary producers David Dinerstein, Robert Fyvolent and Joseph Patel as well as New York Legacy Recordings, the catalog division of Sony Music Entertainment and Mass Distraction Media.
The official soundtrack arrives exactly one year after the captivating documentary was released on January 28, 2021. Now streaming on Hulu, the film features previously unseen footage of the 1969 Harlem Culture Festival, whose legacy was eclipsed by the Woodstock Festival of the same year.
With each song selected by Questlove, the Summer of the soul The digital version of the soundtrack features 17 live interpretations of jazz, blues, R&B, Latin and soul classics recorded during the historic event. The main track of the project, “Sing a simple song” performed by Sly & The Family Stone, released Thursday (listen below).
The soundtrack also includes performances by Nina Simone, Gladys Knight & The Pips, BB King, Mahalia Jackson, Mavis Staples, The Operation Breadbasket Orchestra & Choir and other artists.
Questlove said of the album, “It goes beyond saying that you can’t have a monster musical journey on film without an equally awesome soundtrack… These performances are lightning in a bottle. Art in its purest form.
Robert Fyvolent and David Dinerstein of Mass Distraction Media said in a statement: “We are delighted to partner with [New York] Heritage [Recordings] to share some of the incredible audio recordings… The gospel, blues, R&B, soul, Latin and jazz classics on this record have stood the test of time. We hope that these live performances by these legendary artists, captured at a key moment in our country’s continuing struggle for equal civil rights, can bring joy to everyone as it has been to the community. from Harlem over 50 years ago.
The Summer of the soul documentary premiered at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival, where it won both the Grand Jury Prize and the Audience Award. The film also won six top honors at the Critics Choice Awards – including Best Feature Documentary, Best Director, Best First Feature Documentary, Best Editing, Best Archival Documentary, and Best Music Documentary. Additionally, it won the National Board of Review’s Best Documentary Award.
Summer of the soul is currently nominated for Best Musical Feature at the 2022 Grammy Awards and is among the 2022 Oscar-eligible nominees for Feature Documentary.
The soundtrack is available for pre-order in digital and CD format. A vinyl LP will be released next year.
See the CD track list below: (The digital version includes an additional track: “Africa” ​​by Abbey Lincoln and Max Roach.)
The Chambers Brothers – “Uptown”
BB King – “Why do I sing the blues”
The 5th dimension – “Don’t Cha Hear Me Callin ‘To Ya”
The 5th dimension – “Aquarius / Let the sun in (failures of the flesh)”
David Ruffin – “My Daughter”
Singers Edwin Hawkins – “Oh Happy Day”
The Staple Singers – “It’s been a change”
The Operation Breadbasket Orchestra & Choir with Mahalia Jackson and Mavis Staples – “Precious Lord Take My Hand”
Gladys Knight & The Pips – “I Heard It Through The Vine”
Mongo Santamaria – “Watermelon man”
Ray Barretto – “Together”
Herbie Mann – “Wait, I’m coming”
Sly & The Family Stone – “Sing a Simple Song”
Sly & The Family Stone – “Everyday People”
Nina Simone – “Backlash Blues”
Nina Simone – “Are you ready”
